Liverpool data guru Michael Edwards to take charge of transfer negotiations following director of football promotion

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Edwards will support Klopp (r) and will take on some of the work of the departing Ian Ayre (l) (Source: Getty)

Joe Hall

Liverpool's technical director Michael Edwards is set to become the club's new director of football in move that will relieve Jurgen Klopp from dealing with transfer negotiations and contract renewals.

Analytics expert Edwards was first brought to Liverpool in 2011 by former director of football strategy Damien Comolli who had worked with him at Tottenham.

The 37-year-old is believed to enjoy a close relationship with owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) who have been advocates of data-driven analysis since their adoption of "moneyball" tactics in baseball helped them steer the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series in 86 years in 2004.

Edwards' promotion is reported to have been encouraged by Klopp, who had previously worked under a sporting director during his entire 14-year stretch as a coach in Germany.

Liverpool's departing chief executive Ian Ayre, who is joining 1860 Munich at the end of the season after a decade with the Reds, will hand over some of his responsibilities in securing transfers to Edwards.